A new bill that would expand the state's intoxicated driving law was introduced to Oregon's House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.
House Bill 2316 could potentially close the loophole that allows motorists who drive under the influence of legal intoxicants to evade criminal charges.
This particularly applies to those who abuse legal medications. The current loophole allows for those who are under the influence of certain uncontrolled substances to not face prosecution.
Amanda Dalton, a lobbyist with the Oregon District Attorney's Office, says she hears from prosecutors everyday who lose trials because the driver was impaired by a legal substance.
"I continue to hear from our prosecutors across the state that this is really important, that the fact patterns for these cases are often dangerous to drivers," said Dalton. "They're dangerous to pedestrians, they're dangerous to our bicyclists. And this is the easiest way."
The goal is to expand Oregon laws definition of an intoxicant to include all drugs.